I'm really interested in learning Japanese but I'm not really sure where to start with it.
It’s amazing how someone can teach themselves a whole new language by themselves. I self-studied Japanese and never used a textbook. There are so many resources for learning, online and free. You can learn just using the online or free resources listed here and beyond. But where do you start?
First, start with hiragana. There are many ways to learn it.
flashcards, or use quizlet to drill it into your head
Dr. Moku app ( has one for katakana too) I highly recommend this but $
The Easiest Way To Learn Hiragana
Japanese Alphabet Song - Study Hiragana katakana Chart - Learn to read japanese alphabet table
Learn ALL Katakana in 1 Hour - How to Write and Read Japanese
Next understand more about hiragana like long vowel sounds, muddied sounds, The Small や、ゆ、and よ, the small つ、the long vowel sound with Tae Kim.
Then more with katakana. Learn the long vowel sound and the small ア イ ウ エ オ with Tae Kim again.
Then additional sounds using whatever method helped you learn hiragana and katakana.
Done with all that? Now, drop romaji. It’s dead to you. A little reluctant? Practice more.
Learn grammar next with vocab and kanji on the side. It’s hard to learn grammar without vocab and it’s hard to learn words without understanding some kanji. I know it’s tough but once you ride it out through grammar learning Japanese becomes much smoother and easier. It’s not as frustrating. It’s so fun.
Tae Kims Guide to Learning Japanese
JLPT N5 vocab list ( recommend learning other JLPT vocab later too)
learn the words in the grammar lessons too!
Write down new vocab you come across and make flash cards or quizlets to learn them
get a Japanese kanji book
tanoshiijapanese kanji lessons
my post on how I learn kanji
Tae kim’s kanji explanation
Dictionaries are helpful for vocab and kanji.
Japanese ( This is my main dictionary)
Download Japanese dictionary and Japanese-English dictionary on iPhone in settings, go to dictionary on settings
After all that just keep practicing. Go to your best free resource, your public library and find books in your level, watch videos in Japanese, read manga, watch a film in Japanese etc.
Also, here’s a good masterpost that also lists other good masterposts and more.
Here’s some miscellaneous advice I want to give beforehand I really hope you'll take:
Try using the Japanese dictionary the most, not the Japanese-English one but the completely in Japanese definitions of words one. Use Japanese-English when you can’t understand the Japanese definition to help yourself. I found English words given to define Japanese words seem to be similar words or/and words the Japanese word is usually translated in. It’s hard to really understand the word exactly. To really understand the word I find myself having to read the Japanese definitions. This is literally what I give the most credit for my progress in Japanese. ( some good ones are kotobank and goo辞書 as well as the iPhone one.)
Learn loan words. Sometimes they aren’t used like the language it originally came from uses it.
Understand what radicals are so you use them to look up kanji. Lots of Japanese dictionaries let you look up by radical.
Practice stroke order. I mean my handwriting is messy but a least it’s legible and not as messy as it could be.
Some words use a couple different kanjis. Learn the nuances of using those different kanjis in the word.
learn the culture. It’s impossible to learn Japanese without understanding the culture.
learn kanji by learning how its used and vocab. Here’s a post I made about that. It’s the same one above.
Change your phone into Japanese.
follow Japanese people’s accounts on social media, whether that’s here on Tumblr, Twitter or Instagram.
And lastly, Don’t lose yourself to discouragement. Keep going. I can’t tell you how good it felt to watch Jdrama completely in Japanese or read a whole adult novel in Japanese. I could see anyone getting there too. It takes time but it’s very possible.
Followers, feel free to recommend any resource in the notes:)
vaporwave
blakekathryn
discoholicmusic
s-u-f-j-a-n-s-t-e-v-e-n-s
turnnoffyourmind
amandla
romaincrisis
andulkaphoto
tangentwithtanner
